Work

Better to keep a negative self-perception than ask for feedback? - How depressive symptoms are associated with the desire for social feedback

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: We investigated whether depressive symptom severity is associated with incongruence between how people perceive themselves (self-perception) and how they expect others to perceive them (meta-perception). We also examined whether these discrepancies explain feedback-seeking. We hypothesized that elevated depressive symptoms are related to low preference for positive and self-incongruent feedback and high preference for negative and self-congruent feedback. METHOD: In study 1 (N = 149), we presented 20 positive and 20 negative traits. For each trait, participants rated their self- and meta-perception. In study 2 (N = 212), we presented the same traits. In addition to their self- and meta-perception, participants indicated their desire to receive other people's feedback for each trait. RESULTS: In study 1, depressive symptom severity was related to a higher incongruence between self- and meta-perception, as participants' self-perception was more negative than their meta-perception. Study 2 indicated that depressive symptom severity was related to less feedback-seeking. Incongruence between self-and meta-perception and valence did not moderate the relationship between depressive symptoms and feedback-seeking. CONCLUSION: Depressive symptoms are associated with incongruence between self- and meta-perception and reduced feedback-seeking. However, incongruence between self- and meta-perception and valence did not explain reduced feedback-seeking in depression, emphasizing the importance to further investigate the causes for feedback avoidance in depression.

Source: Behaviour Research and Therapy

DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2025.104872

Authors: Edith Rapo, Christopher Milde, Julia Anna Glombiewski, Tobias Kube

Institution: Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau

Language: English

Topic: Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,580